Bosnia and Herzegovina

Bosnia and Herzegovina has reported hate crime data to ODIHR. The three criminal codes applicable in the Federation of Bosnia and Herzegovina, Republika Srpska and the Brčko District contain identical or very similar hate crime provisions. These provisions include a definition of hate crime, penalty enhancements for specific offences and a mandatory general penalty enhancement for offences committed out of hatred. Hate crime data are provided by the Ministry of Interior but an institutional system for recording and collecting data has not been established. Victimization surveys have not been conducted.

SELECT YEAR

OFFICIAL DATA

Year	Hate crimes recorded by police	Prosecuted	Sentenced
2020	8	8	5
2019	21	13	9
2018	Not available	Not available	Not available
2017	Not available	Not available	Not available
2016	Not available	Not available	Not available
2015	24	12	3
2014	200	36	23
2013	350	77	88
2012	Not available	Not available	Not available
2011	Not available	Not available	Not available
2010	19	Not available	Not available
2009	15	Not available	Not available

Incidents reported by civil society, international organizations and the Holy See

Reports

Hate crime against Christians and members of other religions

The Holy See reported two incidents of grave desecrations; four incidents of damage to church property, two of which involved breaking into churches and causing damage; and one incident of damaging and then stealing a bronze statue of a prominent church figure.

The Interreligious Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina reported 14 incidents targeting Serbian Orthodox religious property and three incidents targeting Catholic religious property.

Anti-Semitic hate crime

The Interreligious Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina reported one incident targeting Jewish religious property.

Anti-Muslim hate crime

The Interreligious Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina reported 25 incidents targeting Islamic religious property.

Developments

Hate crime against Christians and members of other religions

The Interreligious Council of Bosnia and Herzegovina concluded a one-year project on monitoring and responses to attacks on religious buildings and other holy sites. The project was implemented in co- operation with Nansen Dialogue Center Sarajevo and the Oslo Center for Peace and Human Rights and recorded incidents that occurred between 1 November 2010 and 31 October 2011 against Muslims, Serbian Orthodox Christians, Catholics and Jews.

INTERNATIONAL REPORTS

Racist and xenophobic hate crime

The Commissioner for Human Rights of the Council of Europe expressed concern about ongoing incidents and reports of ethnically motivated violence in Bosnia and Herzegovina that act as a barrier for returnee communities.